Improvement in machines for splitting wood



"0. Ni-lLLIKEN.

improvement in Machiesffor Splitting Wood.

Patented Sep. 12,1871.

'Il i". fl//l/IlIIl//III UNrrnn STATES DAVID MILLIKEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SPLlTTlNG WOOD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,963, dated September l2, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownv that l,DAv1D MILLIKEN, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved food-Splitting Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a i'ull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art .to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speciiication.

Myinvention relates to improvements in woodsplitting machines; and it consists in a novel arrangement, with a feeding-trough, of splittingaXes mounted on swinging arms, which are raised by a revolving wheel and accelerated in their fall by springs, in such manner as to be similar in action to the action ot' an ax wielded by hand. The invention also comprises a novel arrangement of apparatus i'or actua-tin g a pair of feed-rolls by one ofthe aX-carrying arms, in such manner that the feed-rollers will not be actuated if the ax fails or' entering the wood far enough to split it, all as hereinafter described.

Figure lis a plan view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation, showing the arrangement of the reed-apparatus; and Fig. 3, a sectional elevation taken on the line .c a' of Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the feeding-trough, in which the blocks of wood are set on end at the left of the rollers B, and pushed along to them in any way to be forced along to the axes C and D, which are mounted on the bent rods or arms E F, respectively, said arms being so shaped that the axes, when in the trough, will stand about perpendicular to each other, being oblique to the trough. Each arm has a straight part, G, mounted in bearings H, parallel with the sha-ft l, so that they can oscillate. The ends opposite the ones carrying the axes have each a cranked arm, K, which is acted upon by a pin, L, of wheel M, to raise the ax. Said pin escapes over the ends of the arms, allowing the axes to fall upon the wood. The fall is accelerated by a spring, Il, on the part G of each rod. The trough will be provided with a cover to prevent the wood from being raised by the axes, said cover having a hole for each aX suited for it to drop upon the wood below,

and the edges of the trough on which the rods will sometimes fall with considerable force will have India-rubber or other elastic cushions O to lessen the shocks. To actuate the feed-rollers I employ a pawl-lever, I), and a ratchet-wheel, Q, on the upper roller, the two rollers being geared together, and to the upper end of said pawl-lever I apply a catch-dog, It, on a pivot, in such manner that when the aX-arm E goes down, it will tilt and let said arm pass, the end ofthe dog escaping from the rod just previous to the end of the movement of the latter, and it is thrown up by a spring, S, aga-inst the stop T, which holds the dog when the rod comes against its under side in the up movement, causing the line to be raised and the feed-wheels to be actuated. If the rod E does not fall to its lowermost position by reason of not having sufficient forceto split the block, the dog It will not escape, and the feed will not take place, so that the block will remain in the same place until a suiiicient number of blows have been struck to split it.

This arrangement of feed apparatus is applicable to vertical]y-operating axes, as well as to those operating as here shown. I propose to apply the same plan which I have shown of forcing the axes down by springs to vertically-reciprocating axes, and to raise such axes by means of a tappet-wheel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the trough A, axes C and D, arms E F, cranked arms L, springs N, and the actuating-wheel M, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the pawl-lever I) and the aX-arm E, of the catch-dog It, springs S, and the stop T, substantially as speciiied.

3. The arrangement ofthe catch-dog with the ax-arm F, whereby the said dog will not escape unless the ax passes to the full extent of its downward movement, all substantiallyT as speciiied.

The above specifica-tion of my invention signed by me this 2d day of August, 1871.

DAVID MILLIKEN.

W itn esses:

GEORGE W. MABEE, T. B. MosHER. 

